Why The APPLE iPod "TOUCH" Is Cool

[Jerry Jones]

http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/guidedtour/

This device is *currently* advertised as an iPOD that allows you to also surf the Web with a nice graphical user interface.

But I suspect something else is brewing here.

Remember how Sony last year introduced the MYLO personal communicator, which could make Skype calls and allow you to surf the Web?

Well, I thought the MYLO was pretty cool, but it just wasn't as polished as I had hoped so I passed.

This new Apple iPOD "TOUCH" device has no apparent microphone so -- on the surface -- it isn't being advertised as a device that will allow for SKYPE voice calls.

But it can run SKYPE and let you do text messages using SKYPE.

So the only problem that remains to be solved is the microphone.

I suspect that's a problem that's going to be solved.

This is something the 3rd-party application community might be able to resolve in short order.

If my suspicion is correct, then this device should be plenty capable of performing free voice-over-IP capability... like the MYLO... but with much better video/audio/Web capabilities.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

Article about the device here:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9034758

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jerry Jones]

On the other hand, the MYLO by Sony isn't bad... people say the resolution of the screen is actually pretty nice... but the size of the screen seems a little small to me.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=11039183

But this device *does* do Skype voice calls.

So, I have to admit it's also something that might be worth it for some.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Jessterw]

Keep in mind that it's only just now that hackers have been able to even get close to 'jailbreaking' the iPod Touch - the first step in allowing 3rd-party applications to be installed. There's still web-based applications that one can load in Safari, but it's hardly that same sort of thing that many were enjoying on the iPhone before it was locked down.

The iPhone and iPod Touch are definitely slick devices, but there are a few nice alternatives that more traditional mobile phone vendors are coming out with.